Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 713 - 715

DAVID R. ALLEN, a well-to-do and highly respected citizen of Wichita, is one of the earliest settlers of Sedgwick County. He is a native of Caledonia County, Vt., and made his first appearance upon the scenes of this life March 10, 1818. He is the son of Noah and Olive (Rice) Allen, both of whom were born among the granite hills of New Hampshire.

             Noah Allen, the father of our subject, was a builder and contractor, putting up the brick and stone work and doing the plastering of many edifices in his immediate vicinity. He was the parent of nine children, eight of whom are living, as follows: Abel, who married Annie Spaulding, and is a resident of Dakota; Lutheria, Mrs. Pearce, of Lyndon, Vt.; Matilda, Mrs. Badger, of East Burke, Vt.; Harriet, Mrs. Egelston, of the same place; Maria, Mrs. Howe, of Brattleboro, Vt.; David R., the subject of this sketch; Olive, Mrs. A. W. Hawkings, living in St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Clara, Mrs. Parsons, who resides in New Hampshire. Noah Allen, shortly after his marriage, removed into the wilderness where now stands Brownington, Vt., but which at that time was an almost interminable forest. Sweeping away in leafy arches to the Canadian line the woods covered all the intervening land. Within their depths lurked the hungry wolf, the predatory bear and their no less savage congener, the wild Indian. There in the thinly settled community he built his cabin and installed his wife, and then prepared to hew out, literally, a farm among the monarchs of the forest. As an incident of the life which they were called upon to lead in that secluded spot, it is related that during the War of 1812, when the father of the family was absent from his home upon business, the mother allowed the fire to go out. Those were the days when lucifer matches were not yet, and flint and steel were the only method of making a flame. Not being able to use these she was at a loss to know what to do, as the nearest neighbor was some three miles distant. For three days she and her three little children lived upon cheese and milk, but growing desperate one evening, after the children had gone to bed, she left them alone and made the trip to the settler's house, and returned with the fire before the children awoke in the morning. Live coals in those days were carried in a pan from house to house.

             Reared amid such scenes, among the hills and valleys of the old Green Mountain State, David R. Allen there breathed in a spirit of independence and freedom so common to the children of stern New England, and with which he is so largely endowed. He remained at home beneath the roof of his parents' cot, attending such schools as the time and country afforded until he had reached the age of fifteen years. Turning his back at that time upon his boyhood's home, "like the bird that leaves its nest with keen regret," he journeyed to Worcester, Mass., where for the succeeding four years he was employed in a hotel. Wishing to make a change he sought in Springfield, Mass., to better his fortune, and engaging in a similar establishment, remained until he had completed his twenty-fourth year. About that time he was married to Miss Emeline Bigelow, and for a short time thereafter both he and his wife were employed in a house of public entertainment. Having a family now upon his hands he concluded to make an effort at farming, and sought in the State of Vermont a field of operation. He continued to till the soil in the Green Mountain State until 1854, when the tide of emigration having set westward, he was induced to seek a betterment of his fortune in Illinois. After a year spent in Cook County and another in McHenry County, in that State, he removed to Grant County, Wis., where he took up a farm and resumed his agricultural pursuits. There he remained, quietly pursuing the even tenor of his way, until 1870, when he again felt the pioneer spirit moving him. Accordingly in that year he transported himself and family to Kansas, arriving in Sedgwick County in June of that year. He and his children at once took up 640 acres of Government land in the northern part of Valley Center Township.

             Having no house in which to shelter his family, and there being but few settlers in the county and no advantages for getting the wherewithal to build a house, Mr. Allen dug into the ground a space some 8x10 feet in dimensions, and about six feet deep. Placing three logs on each side of the hole he put poles across the top and covered it over with hay to form a roof. More hay was placed upon the floor, or ground, on which they spread their blankets to make them a bed upon which to sleep. Often while reclining upon their couch and courting "the drowsy god" they could feel snakes creeping and crawling through the hay that was underneath them. Having no stove he excavated a hole outside of his house 2x3 feet in size, but shallow, and on each end of it drove down a crotched stick, and on these a pole was laid across to suspend the pots and kettles in which their food was cooked. The first year the family simply broke hedgerows on the place, and the second year prepared some fifteen acres of land for cultivation. Not raising much these two years they were called upon to endure many hardships and privations, and want was no stranger at their door. Many times he hardly knew where the next meal would come from.

             But another year brought a better fate. As Mr. Allen began to gather more of this world's goods he erected a comfortable dwelling-house and all the necessary out-buildings to carry on the operations of a farm. There he remained until 1877, but in the fall of that year moved into the village of Sedgwick, in which he spent the winter. With the dawn of spring he came to Wichita, and purchased a residence near the corner of Lawrence and Oak streets, but only lived there about seven months. Feeling it necessary to engage in some business he rented a place on Douglas avenue and opened a restaurant, which gave him employment for three years. For the improvement of his growing prospects he then purchased a house on Market street, where he and estimable family kept boarders and rented apartments for the four years following. About that time he commenced the erection of the edifice where he now resides, No. 2057 Waco street, which he finished at a cost of over $6,000. While this was in the course of completion he lived for about six months on the corner of Pattie and Prince streets.

              When he moved to his present place of abode our subject purchased the twenty-five acres of ground that surrounded it, which he has since laid out in city lots, under the name of the New England Addition to Wichita. Most of this he has sold, reserving six lots for his own use. In politics he is a Republican and a stanch and sincere patriot. His solid worth and energy of character have made him many friends in the community and no enemies. As a representative man of the county and an old pioneer he stands pre-eminent, and his public-spiritedness and charity are proverbial. He is always willing to assist in every benevolent enterprise, and from his door the poor and oppressed are never turned away. Well has the poet sung "Kind hearts are more than coronets. 'Tis only noble to be good."

             The marriage ceremony which united the destinies of David R. Allen and Miss Emeline Bigelow took place upon the 11th of January, 1843. She is the daughter of John and Hephzihah (Barnes) Bigelow, both of whom were natives of Massachusetts. Her father was a farmer and had a family of nine children, only two of whom are now living  -- John J. and Mrs. D. R. Allen. The latter's grandparents on her mother's side were Lovel and Rebecca (Eager) Barnes, natives of England. Her paternal grandparents were William and Catherine (Stowe) Bigelow, who were also natives of "whitecliffed Albion," who had left their sea-girt island home, and come to America, settling in Marlboro, Mass. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are the parents of three children, as follows: Rufus J., a sketch of whom is given in the pages of this ALBUM; Lyman B., who married Kate Beyer, of this county, in 1879, and is the father of three children -- Ralph, Pearl and Oscar; Eliza, Mrs. P. Canida, the mother of five children -- Charles, Rosa, David, Edgar and Grace. and a child by a former marriage, Eva.

             Mr. and Mrs. Allen are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Accompanying this sketch we present their portraits.

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